Cheers Mike, we miss you

It hardly seems possible, but it is one year to the day that my brother Mike died. I received word of his death in California from my sister-in-law just as I arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport about 7 a.m. to catch my flight.

For a lot of reasons, I have been anxious to put 2009 behind us, but no reason greater than the loss of my brother on New Year's Day 2009.

With the news grim on New Year's Eve, I tried to find a flight out to see him before he died, but the best I could do was an early morning Southwest flight to Oakland. We talked on the phone early on New Year's Eve Day and he was aware that things weren't good and we said our good-byes. He was still insisting I not make the trip out. It was a request I knew I could not honor.

Fortunately, my sister-in-law Barbara had a long time friend with her when the end came. The next couple days were filled with arrangements and putting away Christmas decorations that my brother had put out just a few weeks before.

It was not until three days later that I realized I had missed the New Year's Day bowl game of my beloved Michigan State Spartans. I didn't know if they had won or lost (they lost) and frankly forgot who they played. It's amazing how priorities can change in an instant.

But when I finally did remember the game I had missed, I remembered another game my brother and I had attended. It was a late season game at Spartan Stadium. He arrived on a flight from California in the morning and we drove straight to the stadium. At the time he was dressed in a spring jacket and dress shoes and as I recall the temps were below freezing.

MSU was winning the game going away (MSU vs. Iowa, November 25, 1978, final score 42-7), but despite his pleadings I said we had to stay to the end. A slight fellow, my brother was very cold and was very happy when we got back to my warm apartment.

But I couldn't help but smile when I thought maybe, just maybe, he left me on New Year's just so I would miss that bowl game and he would get the last laugh over a game I made him stay at long after he wanted to leave.

Today, will be tough for a lot of those folks who loved Mike. We were apart far too long until we reconnected a few years ago. It's very hard to believe my little brother is gone, but I'm warmed by the memories I have of him, even the "cold" ones.

If you get a chance today, reach out to a loved one you haven't seen or talked to in awhile. You won't regret it.

Happy New Year.